The Constant Struggle Between Eternal Rivals
by ladypunz
Summary: Full Title: An Escapade in the Constant Stuggle Between Eternal Rivals. Gai challenges Kakashi in a challenge that drags their precious subordinates into their fued. Eventual Neji X Tenten, flavored with bits of Sasuke X Sakura and Naruto X Hinata.
1. Chapter 1

**An Escapade in the Constant Struggle Between Eternal Rivals**

Author's Note: I promise I'll come out with the other one-shots soon. I've already got this relatively short story finished so look for weekly updates. Read and review, if you wish.

Disclaimed!

One more thing, _Icha Icha Takutikusu_ is a fanfic written by Jewel Green. Not mine at all. If you like lemony goodness, I suggest you read it.

* * *

"Kakashi, my eternal rival, I propose a challenge!" An immensely bushy browed Maito Gai announced as he barged in on his fellow jounin. "It will be an excellent challenge to prove our POWER with the SPRINGTIME of YOUTH!" 

"Mm? Did you say something?" Hatake Kakashi asked lazily as he lifted his face from an orange covered book bearing the title _Icha Icha Takutikusu_, or _Come Come Makeout Tactics_.

"OH MY GOD!" Gai yelled dramatically as his jaw dropped to the ground. The light around him extinguishes and he is spinning around in lone spotlight, clenching his fist and has tears rolling down in rivers on his cheeks. "Kakashi, you have a totally hip and cool attitude, and it PISSES ME OFF!"

"Uh-huh," our favorite pervert answered as he lost interest in Gai and started reading again.

"Kakashi, I CHALLENGE YOU!" Gai roared as his darkness background cleared up and he was once again at the Konoha Jounin Office.

Kakashi sighed and dog-eared his page. He obviously wasn't going to get any peace while his "eternal rival" was around. "Challenge me to what?"

"Now that I have your attention, I wish to challenge to keep my flames of passion burning to…"

"Alright, alright, I get the picture!" Kakashi said hastily to prevent Gai from talking his ear off about something that sounded like "blah, blah, blah" to him. "What's the challenge?"

"I propose that we hold a dance-off."

"A dance-off?" Kakashi repeated, wondering if Gai had lost his mind. "Haven't we done that already? Yes, I won that one, I believe…"

Gai flushed. "Yes, and I crab-walked around Konoha seven times as my punishment because I had not beaten you!"

"Oh right," Kakashi chuckled remembering Gai crab-walking. Now _that_ had been amusing. "So what's different this time?"

"This time, our beloved subordinates will be the ones participating the dance off!" Gai announced proudly.

"So I have to convince two of my students to dance in this competition to beat two of your students?" Kakashi asked.

"You are truly worthy to be my eternal rival, Kakashi, to have understood the objective thus far. I did not even need to show you out the rule book I have created for this occasion!"

"You made a rule book?" Kakashi inquired.

"YES, I DID!" Gai yelled as he whipped it out and does his good guy pose number 8687.

Kakashi sweatdropped as he was blinded by Gai's pinging white teeth. "How will we know which team win?"

"On page 194 of the rule book, it states that. 'the winning team of the contest will be the team with the loudest cheers from the audience.'"

"And the audience will consist of?"

"Whomever we invite, which should be the whole village!" Gai said exuberantly.

"Hm…" Kakashi closed his visible eye and cupped his chin in an exaggerated thinking expression.

"If you deny me this, you lose!" Gai yelled, playing his last trick to convince his eternal rival.

"Deal. Now I must go see my team," Kakashi said as he walked towards the window.

"Nani! Are YOU going to be EARLY!" Gai shrieked in disbelief. His challenge, and ultimately himself, had made Kakashi early for once in his life.

"Hm…I'll be a bit early, yes. I'm only two and a half hours late. I meant to be four," he said happily as he hopped out the window.

Gai stood there gaping at the open window.

"YOUR HIP AND COOL ATITTUDE REALLY ANNOYS ME!"

* * *

Don't worry. It'll get better...hopefully.  



	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Author's note: Here's the second chappie. Enjoy!

* * *

"Good morning," Kakashi greeted his genin team from his upside down position. He had fixed his feet on the underside of a branch with his chakra. 

"YOU'RE LATE!" an irate Uzumaki Naruto and Hurano Sakura yelled angrily. They stood back to back, pointing accusing fingers at their sensei.

Sasuke snorted in annoyance but said nothing.

"Ah, don't be angry you guys," Kakashi began as he made placating motions with his hands which for once were free of his _Icha Icha_ book.

"And why shouldn't we be!" Naruto bawled.

"Yeah, what's your excuse this time?" Sakura fumed. "Did you get lost on the 'Road of Life' again? Did you dance for another girl? Did you have to take another route because of a stupid BLACK CAT!" she shrieked, every word growing louder.

_Why do those two always make such a big deal about every little thing?_ Sasuke wondered to himself as he kept his cool.

"Well, I was planning to be later, but instead, I turned up now. Better?" Kakashi-sensei kindly told his screaming subordinates.

"But you were still late!" Naruto whined.

"Yeah, and that's an even a lamer excuse that the fake ones," Sakura snarled.

"STUPID SENSEI! I'LL GET YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING LATE!" roared Inner Sakura as she punched the air amid burning black flames.

"'A shinobi must read underneath the underneath,'" Sasuke quoted softly. His teammates turned around to look at him. "Why were you earlier than you intended to be?"

"Ah, Sasuke-kun is so smart and attentive," Sakura cooed as she gave her crush a starry-eyed glance.

"I was just about to ask that," Naruto grumbled glumly. _Sasuke-teme…Stop stealing all my moments of glory!_

"I'm glad you asked me that," Kakashi said beaming. He told his subordinates the reason why he was early…but not…because he was still late…

"**NANI!"

* * *

**

"What was that?" Tenten asked as she glanced over her shoulder at the loud shriek that had caused several birds to fly out of their roosts from several training fields over. She effortlessly threw her kunai into the target hanging over Hyuuga Neji's meditating form.

"It sounded like Sakura-san!" Rock Lee exclaimed excitedly. His thoughts became fuzzy as he thought about his precious pink haired konoichi.

"Then it probably isn't worthy of notice," Neji's deep voice said. Lee looked extremely offended.

"But she could be hurt or in distress!" Lee said worriedly. "I swore to protect her!"

"Calm down, Lee. She's with Naruto-san and Sasuke-kun," Tenten said reassuringly as she threw a handful of shuriken at the target. Bull's eye times four. Neji frowned slightly. Was that a faint hint of red he noticed tinting his teammates cheeks as she mentioned "Sasuke-kun"? _Surely not…_

"But still…" Lee's voice trailed off. _I'll go visit her with an armful of flowers_ he promised to himself.

Neji gave a withering glance at his oddball teammate before retreating back into his meditative state. Tenten resumed making pincushions out of the straw target dummies and Lee was lost in his own thoughts. Occasionally Neji and Tenten caught a phrase of "if I can't do that then I'll...a thousand pushups..." and "called fuzzy brows…"

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Sakura hissed, venom dripping from every word. "You want two of us to be in this dance competition?"

"Well, yes," Kakashi agreed, delighting in the fact that he had one of the brightest konoichi on his team.

"And this dance competition is a challenge between you and Gai-sensei?" she growled.

"Yes," Kakashi said happily. "And you definitely have to be in it, Sakura, because you are the only konoichi on the team!"

"WHAT!" Sakura shrieked again. _Yes, let me dance with Sasuke-kun! Yay, Kakashi-sensei!_ Inner Sakura said happily.

"Fine," Sakura snapped at her sensei. "Sasuke-kun, will you be my dance partner?" she asked sweetly.

"No."

"But-"

"No, I don't have time for games like this," Sasuke snapped. "If you're going to dance, I'm going to train alone."

Sakura watched him stalk off, her shoulders hunched in disappointment.

"Ah, it's ok, Sakura-chan! I'll dance with you!" Naruto said happily, though he was slightly put out that she hadn't asked him in the first place.

"But-"

"Well, since Naruto has volunteered and Sasuke has left, I'll leave you guys to decide what you want to do. You have a week to get ready!" And with that Kakashi vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Why me!" Sakura bawled as she fell on her knees.

"Daijoubou, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked worriedly.

* * *

"Good morning my youthful students!" Gai greeted as he appeared in his team's meeting place.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee yelled exuberantly. He glomped his sensei enthusiastically. Gai punched him in the face.

"Now is not the time for that, baka!" he roared as Lee flew from him.

"Hai, Gai-sensei! Gomen, Gai-sensei!" Lee yelled as saluted his mentor.

Tears streamed down Gai's cheeks. "How can I treat my passionate student so? Lee, come to my arms!"

"Hai, Gai-sensei!"

They embraced amid crashing waves and a glorious sunset.

Neji and Tenten shot the pair wtf looks.

"Now then," Gai said as he extracted himself from his kawaii student. "I need two of you to enter in a dance competition!"

Silence.

"I'll do it, Gai-sensei!" Lee cried out.

"I knew you'd come through for me, my precious Lee!" Gai said proudly as they embraced again.

"Matte!" Tenten said. "What's this about?"

"Ah, my beautiful flower, I'm so glad you asked!" Gai yelled. "This is a matter of honor! This competition for two of my students will ensure that you burn with the PASSION OF YOUTH!"

Neji closed his eyes, clearly losing interest. Tenten twitched in annoyance about being called a flower, but overlooked it.

"Why a dance competition?" Tenten questioned further.

"I challenged my eternal rival, Kakashi…"

"I WILL HELP YOU DEFEAT KAKASHI-SENSEI, GAI-SENSEI!" Lee proclaimed.

"Thank you, Lee!"

Another hug. Neji's posture shifted from annoyance to hostility.

"But you said that you needed two students…_who's going to partner Lee?_" Tenten demanded.

"Why, you, my flower!"

Tenten shot an alarmed and pleading look at Neji which clearly said _save me_.

"Yay! We get to dance together Tenten!" Lee yelled as he grabbed her by the arms and began to swing her around in large, fast circles.

Tenten turned green and was choking in pain. Her arms were going to be wrenched off her body by her idiotic teammate.

There was a sickening crack and a cry of pain.

Tenten swayed dizzily before falling into Neji's arms. The Byakugan master had sent Lee flying into a nearby tree with a chakra-laced palm. Squirrels were chittering in alarm. They had to get their great green protector out of the tree he had been embedded in.

"I'll partner Tenten," he announced in his deep voice. There was no room in his tone for argument. The faintest blush was on his cheeks.

"Why Neji!" Gai gasped, tears streaming down his cheeks. "You want to take this chance to fan your burning passions? OF COURSE YOU CAN TAKE LEE'S PLACE! Right, my precious?"

Lee made a soft grunt of assent from his tree.

"Thank you, Neji," Tenten's soft voice said from somewhere on his shoulder. She was still trying to stop the spinning.

"Hn…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Author's Note: Russel Peters reference, yay!

* * *

"Five and six and seven...GET IT RIGHT, FOREHEAD GIRL!" Ino shrieked loudly. 

"I'M TRYING, INO-PIG!" Sakura yelled back as a vein popped out of her forehead and throbbed painfully. Honestly, _why_ she ever asked Yamanaka Ino to choreograph her little number was beyond her comprehension.

"Roll your body, like _this_," Ino instructed as she erm…rolled her body. (I can't describe it…)

Oh wait. That's why. She could dance.

_Someone's gonna get a hurt real bad,_ Inner Sakura growled menacingly.

The Byakugan master and the weapons mistress walked in silence towards the Hyuuga compound. Neji's face was stoic as usual. If he had any regrets about rashly saying that he'd dance with Tenten, he didn't show it. His brief little show of emotion back at the training ground, _which no one thankfully noticed_, had troubled him. He needed to distance himself from his teammate...which would be difficult as they had to dance a number together.

* * *

Tenten was ill at ease and it showed. She was twirling a kunai around her finger as she walked, a nervous habit she had developed.

"Neji, what exactly are we going to do?" she asked finally.

"Dance."

"But how? And what?"

"A waltz," Neji answered simply. "I'm familiar with it and it's not that difficult."

"I'm not graceful enough!" Tenten whined. She had been hoping for something fun and energetic. If he wanted to ballroom dance, he could've picked swing…or cha cha…or the hustle…

* * *

"Stop, stop, STOP!" Ino roared for the eighth time during the rehearsal.

"What now?" Naruto demanded wearily. Her constant screeching was giving him a headache.

"This is so troublesome," Shikamaru grumbled. Why Ino had asked him to be her male assistant also escaped Sakura's comprehension. Perhaps it's because that Sand chick was in Konoha again.

"You're not popping correctly. It's a _pop_; not a _jerk_," Ino answered as she demonstrated the two moves.

"Hmm…I see no difference," Naruto grumbled as he considered Ino's actions in his classic eyes closed, bottom lip jutted out, arms crossed across his chest thinking pose.

"Pop, not jerk!" Ino snarled. "Now go!"

Naruto popped his chest.

"No, you jerked. Shikamaru, show him how to pop!"

"Do I have to?" the lazy nin asked.

"Yes! Pop!"

Shikamaru popped.

"See? That was a pop!"

"I still see no difference, dattebayo!" (Just thought I'd stick that in there because I can…)

"ARGH!"

* * *

"One two three, one two three," Tenten muttered under her breath as she struggled to learn the basic waltz step.

"Don't forget to tip toe," Hinata said softly as she watched her cousin and his teammate dance.

"Now spin her," Hiashi commanded.

Neji cued Tenten, who awkwardly twirled, lost her footing, and staggered sideways before Neji straightened her with a tug on her arm.

"Tenten, be more graceful! Even though you are dancing and unfamiliar with the steps, you are also a konoichi. They must be as graceful and elegant in killing and being a woman; like the poisonous flower they are named after," Neji chided softly.

"I told you I'm not graceful," Tenten spat through gritted teeth.

"Hn, you know that's a lie. When you flip through the air during your soushoryu, you are graceful with the chakra strings. It's the same thing except that you're not trying to make your partner into a human pincushion."

Hiashi and Hinata blinked in surprise. Did Neji just complement this young teammate of his? Of course she was a couple of months older, but still…any complement was very rare.

Tenten grunted in acknowledgment.

"Again," Hiashi commanded.

"One two three, one two three…"

* * *

Author's note: Yes, a waltz! A Viennese waltz…Americanized. Slightly AU. I got my inspiration from "So You Think You Can Dance." Read and review please! 


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